


Pistachio the Murdog: An Unlikely Love Story

by MissB8604



Category: Murdoch Mysteries
Genre: Crimes & Criminals, Detectives, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Friendship/Love, Gen, Love, POV Animal
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-09
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:47:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27476014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissB8604/pseuds/MissB8604
Summary: It wasn't that Detective William H. Murdoch didn't like canines, he did. Very much so. He just had a preference to only enjoy them from afar. Inspired by Season 10, Episode 11 (A Murdog Mystery). AU.
Relationships: William Murdoch/Julia Ogden
Kudos: 3





	Pistachio the Murdog: An Unlikely Love Story

Pistachio the Murdog: An Unlikely Love Story

**Author's Note: New to the site! Dialogue in** _**italics** _ **denotes text taken directly from the episode which was written by Lori Spring with characters belonging to Maureen Jennings. Definitely going to be AU and not CANON.**

**Please read, review and enjoy!**

* * *

It wasn't that Detective William H. Murdoch didn't like canines, he did. Very much so. He just had a preference to only enjoy them from afar. It wasn't a matter of disliking the creatures, but perhaps it was their affinity for dirt or drool that kept him as far away from his person as possible. Canines, depending on the breed, could also be quite unpredictable, not to mention their…excrement that was particularly unsavory. Although he tried to avoid it, there were times when other canine owners did not clean up their animal's waste and he inadvertently would step on it, ruining a perfectly good pair of shoes. There were only a few ways William wouldn't mind being dirty (building things, a passionate night/morning/afternoon of lovemaking with his wife Dr. Julia Ogden were just a couple) but being exposed to anything that came out of the other end of an animal was not one of them.

Then he met Pistachio, the well trained and loveable golden retriever that stayed with him and Julia one night while he worked on the case that involved her owner and trainer. As Julia tied together some of his old socks, William studied the dog who clearly had taken a shine to him.

" _Oh, what a delight. I've always wanted a dog!"_

The detective turned to his wife. _"It's for_ _one night only_ _, let's be clear. Mr. Dubois is released from the hospital tomorrow morning."_ Rolling her eyes, she tossed the socks deeper into the living room as Pistachio excitedly ran to grab them, quickly returning them to a gleeful Julia who began to play tug of war with her. _"Oh, what a clever good girl you are!"_

" _Hardly clever."_ William was of course, not convinced. To see his wife so happy did bring a smile to his face which he promptly hid when she looked his way again. _"Julia, Julia, if the dog chews through the socks they'll be of no use to me."_

The good doctor tsk-tsked her husband. _"I'll buy you another pair."_ How could he not see how precious this animal was?

Forever the curmudgeon, the detective grumbled to himself. _"That's hardly the point."_

" _Be nice, William. Pistachio's been very helpful to you so far. She may even help you find your murderer."_ Julia could feel the detective's skepticism before he even spoke, just as she expected he would. The great William Murdoch never needed any assistance, less of all from a lowly canine.

" _I think you overestimate this dog's intelligence."_

A smirk beginning to cover her face, the good doctor smiled at a whining Pistachio who grabbed her leash from the entry way side table of their suite. _"I believe she wants you to take her for a walk."_

" _No. Absolutely not."_

Julia gazed upon William and their houseguest, smiling. "Well, before we go to bed you'll need to walk her William so that we don't have any accidents." The detective's eyes became saucers.

"Surely she's trained to not use the…water closet…in the suite?"

"She's obviously trained, William, but that doesn't mean she won't need to relieve herself. Would you want to hold your water for close to 7 hours?"

The detective blanched at her choice of words. "Julia."

Pisatchio began to pace in the entry way, her whining becoming a bit more insistent. "You'd better take her William." The good doctor kissed her husband on the cheek, walking into the living room and picking up a novel she'd been reading recently. "I'll see you both when you get back!"

William sighed deeply. Placing his hat on his head, he held his jacket as he tied the dog's leash onto her collar. "Come on girl, let's go." Happily, Pistachio pulled William along once again running into the poor maid who was again at the end of the hall preparing towels for their neighbor.

During their evening walk, William took in a deep breath essentially mortified. He didn't know why, but he felt embarrassed. As Pistachio sniffed around, the detective tipped his hat at some acquaintances praying that the dog did what she needed to do while he wasn't looking. Luckily, she had. Once they reached a corner, Pistachio had stepped into a puddle of rain water. He grimaced, knowing that he would have to dry her paws off once they got home. As time went on however, William found himself calm and serene, smiling at the couples that stopped to greet Pistachio who, he had to admit, was friendly and loving. _"You know, I haven't really stopped to think how this must be affecting you. Eh, Pistachio?"_ The canine looked up at her human-for-the-day, her tongue lolling about her mouth, barking a response. _"Who do_ _you_ _think killed your Mr. Stoddard?"_

Re-entering the suite, William released Pistachio from her leash while he walked to the water closet for a towel to dry off her paws. Julia placed her book onto the table next to her, rising to pet the canine and handed her some leftover steak from dinner. As she ate, the detective grabbed her paws lovingly drying them off. _"Hello! Well, you seem a lot calmer."_ Kissing him cheerfully on the lips, the good doctor felt Pistachio rubbing against her legs moving onto William. He knew he'd have dog hair all over him, but for some reason, he didn't care.

" _Well, the walk was pleasant enough. But let's make one thing perfectly clear—under no circumstances is_ _that_ _dog to be allowed in_ _that_ _bedroom."_ Julia simply smiled her sweet smile as she always did when her husband was giving directives. Would he ever learn that just because he said something, it didn't mean it was going to happen? After 10 years, you'd think he'd remember who he was dealing with. It made her love him even more. _"No. You, Pistachio, will sleep on_ _this_ _bed."_ Tossing his coat into the couch, the detective laid out a thick plaid blanket onto the floor, gesturing for the dog to lay upon it. _"_ _You_ _lie down_ _here_ _."_ Pistachio simply looked at Murdoch, her head angled as if she didn't understand what he was saying to her. His wife simply observed the proceedings knowing full well that that lovely creature would be in their bedroom on their bed and she looked forward to it.

The detective once again gestured to the animal, slightly frustrated. _"Come."_ Suddenly, the dog moved her head from side to side, surprising the detective. Maybe there was more to this dog than he originally surmised. Laughing slightly, Julia simply shook her head. Volunteering to stay with Pistachio to get her acclimated to her new bed for the night, William placed a bowl of water onto the floor which she happily lapped up. "You'll be coming to bed soon?" Julia said, removing her housecoat and placing it on her vanity chair.

"Yes! I'll be there presently, just want to make sure she's comfortable." Rising from his seat, he walked over to his wife kissing her and embracing her as each took comfort in the other's presence. She'd put on his favorite perfumed lotion and he gratefully inhaled her scent, running his fingers through her lustrous hair. "Goodnight, detective." Stealing one more kiss, William smiled. "Goodnight, doctor." Walking her to the bed, Murdoch helped his wife into it, placing the blankets over her. It was a secret between them that Julia loved William to tuck her in if he wasn't going to bed right away. When she first revealed the fact to her new husband, it melted his heart knowing that this woman who was so strong in every avenue of her life still held on to this part of her childhood. From then on, it became a ritual between the two and something the detective looked forward to. "I love you, William." The good doctor yawned, placing her head onto the pillow, sleep overcoming her body. "And I, you." His final kiss on her forehead and a subsequent tuck of the blankets sent his wife to a deep sleep that he knew she so desperately needed.

Once he'd removed his work clothes and placed himself into his pajamas, the detective sat with Pistachio who was indeed resting on her bed, tail wagging when she saw him. He petted her gently, grabbing his journal to write some poetry he'd been trying out. "Good girl."

Realizing he must have fallen asleep on the couch, William awoke to the clock chiming midnight and he knew he desperately needed his bed and to feel his wife next to him. As quietly as he could, he tip toed into the bedroom, climbing into bed, a sleeping Julia on her side, gone to the world. He held her tightly, which she absentmindedly responded to, backing up against him her hair tickling his face. Pistachio for her part, waited a bit to ensure that William was indeed asleep before leaving her own bed and walking into the bedroom. As quietly as she could, she jumped onto the bed which jolted Julia awake. Her husband quietly snoring, the good doctor did her best to turn to see a very happy Pistachio lying next to William, her arm covering him just like William's did on her. Julia sighed deeply, not in the bedroom indeed. Ha!

The next morning as Julia reached for the alarm clock, she felt her husband turn over, his face directly meeting Pistachio's who happily licked him. "What the devil?!"

"Morning, William!" His wife chirped, placing a brush into her hair. "Did you sleep well?"

Wiping his face with his sleeve and sitting straight up in the middle of the bed, the detective's voice was almost shrill. "Julia that dog did not just sleep in this bed did she!?" Hopping off the bed and heading over to his wife, Pistachio greeted Julia who kissed her on the head.

"Good morning to you my lovely! How are you?!"

Murdoch swung his legs around and onto the floor. "Julia?!"

Rolling her eyes as she began to pin her hair. "Goodness, William! I supposed she did!"

"No, no, no!" The detective growled as he aggressively grabbed undergarments for the day. "A dog, in the bed?! I can't believe this! Gonna take a shower!"

Julia scratched behind the canine's ear. "Breakfast will be here soon, don't dally William. Good girl, Pistachio, very good girl!"

While the three of them ate their breakfast, William eyed the dog over the newspaper continuing to grumble to himself. "William, really. Are you going to be in a terrible mood all day? She obviously wanted to be with us. Her owner is not with her and she was probably scared."

"Scared?! We were in the house with her, she shouldn't have been scared!"

"Oh William, do calm down. We both have a very long day ahead of us and Pistachio is our guest!"

Angrily turning the page and burying his face into it, the detective smiled despite himself. She really was a sweet dog.

As the trio traveled down the street, arm in arm with Pistachio on her leash, both Julia and William smiled at passersby who took interest in the dog who held her paw up to shake their hand. "Ha! I didn't know she could do that!" The good doctor looked at her husband, he sounded a little too happy about the fact. "She's a champion, William. I'm sure this is just the tip of the iceberg."

Perhaps having a dog wasn't such a bad idea.


End file.
